IndyCar Discussion on Business, Entertainment and Inside Consulting

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The Cars Are The Stars!

When I fell in love with IndyCar racing watching the 1989 Indy 500 race it was based on two things: the awe of watching drivers push the envelop on the corners to gain more speed and the cars (livery, engines, tires, chassis) how they performed.

To write that I knew every chassis manufacturer and its aerodynamic packages by looking it at the TV would be a classic lie. I still would not be able to properly identify them but it was nice to know that teams would make everything in the name of innovation to have the best car.

IndyCar racing IS innovation. Is that simple. Having a series that is spec racing is simply not the way to attract old or new fans to the sport. You can say whatever you like to justify costs and bring a leveled playing field, you still need open competition to assure you keep pushing the envelop and be relevant in today’s sports landscape.

I do think that there is no place for 900+ horsepower engines in this day in age. That premise of powerful engines is way out of touch in today’s production vehicles specially as hybrid engines keep digging on the market pie chart. You need relevant engines that are technically better, more efficient, and produce a fast and attractive race car that does not pollute the environment and it is fuel efficient.

It is no secret that my chassis of choice was the Swift over the Dallara. Yet, why can we have both of them? Again, conversation surrounds costs…but this would not be a problem if INDYCAR and the team owners understood that it would be a hard one or two years but when the interest grows (fans AND sponsors) then it will not matter.

You need to bring entertainment to the forefront and it costs money to invest in your future. You cannot have everything you can be without sacrifices and giving some to get some. I still keep my confidence that 2014 will be the breakout year for IndyCar racing. Therefore, it is time to shed aside the inferiority complex and put an agenda to finally bring the full load of innovation and entertainment you stars can provide…and it starts with your protagonists: your IndyCars!